Bless the Broken Heart
by Miss Artemis
Summary: She believed that he had a heart and tried her might to prove it, costing her brother and friends, but only in the end did it backfire. Now alone, she leaves for a better future, never knowing that she would have to return...SxSxM Better sum. inside
1. Chapter 1

Bless the Broken Heart

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! He belongs to Kazuki Takahashi! Enjoy!

Summary: All she wanted was his love, but he wouldn't give it to her, instead he gave it to another. Heart broken, she left to never return, but she does and he wants her, now more than ever before…problem is, she had moved on. SxSxM

Prologue: Let Rain Wash Away the Memories

She watched silently beside the window of the crowded bus. She was in the very back, hanging onto the leather latch attached to a leather strap when signifying that she wanted to be left off, but she made no intention to let go, not now, and not ever until she reached the airport. Again, her light, honey-dipped eyes watched in silent sorrow as each rain drop slid down the window. She had made up a game long ago when she was six, during the times where fighting was always part of her day, where her father would leave for the entire day getting drunk and wasting valuable money and come back home late at night to torture them. She would always rest her head on the window pain at home in her room, all alone or with Jounouchi. Each raindrop, she thought of God's tears of sympathy and with each and every rain drop that went sliding down, she would make a prayer or a confession that she had eating at her for a while.

A bemused smile twitched at the corner of the woman's mouth.

She was so young than, never really making much trouble or gaining any guilt unless it was her childish naivety that made her think she had done something wrong. _What a better time than now to play it. _The woman looked back at herself for the past year, leaning against a steel pipe on the bus. For over the last twelve months she had ignored her brother, _lied_ to him when he needed to know, used her friends as a cover up for her late night returns or when she never did get home, using Honda's and Ootogi's feelings to her advantage, and so many more…

The woman looked at a raindrop and whispered softly in prayer,

"Forgive me Lord, for my selfish needs for the past year…" She watched as another one joined it, she continued:

"…for using my loved ones to my satisfaction for my own needs…not looking out for their benefits or their feelings…"

She watched as the rain drop was blown away from the speed of the bus and continued on as another raindrop took its place,

"Forgive me Lord for following in the footsteps of your opposite; forgive me for not truly believing in your splendid light and following the dark path of sin that is his creation…"

A tear drop slipped gracefully down her cheek as the raindrop was blown away as well,

"Forgive me…"

The woman looked at her surroundings and let out a shaky breath…time for a new beginning, time to shut the hard cover on this painful story and write another. She was leaving for a better future, a future without **him**, without having to endure his taunting and humiliating and hurtful words.

"**You were and still are nothing to me." **

She squeezed her eyes shut in pain as his voice circled her head, laughing at her, just like whenever he would win a duel…laughing at the loser.

"**You were nothing but a pawn in my game."**

He always seemed to win, no matter what or when, date or time…She had hoped to change him for the better, but all along, he was the one scheming, not her, never her…always him, him and his manipulative mind.

"**The game is done and in my favor, I have no more use for you."**

The woman opened her eyes, unshed tears still pooled in her unyielding eyes. She was just another fling like all the others…a play toy who has reached her end. And like the others, she was thrown away to rot and decay, her soul to disperse when her body wouldn't.

"**It was amusing while it lasted, to watch that pathetic mutt be crushed for all he's worth, and by the hands of the one he truly reconciled with, loved."**

She remembered his dark chuckle of malice, the one that made her feel like a worthless piece of shit…vermin…everything he pronounced what her family was…dogs.

"Yo lady, this is the end of the line!" The woman cleared her thoughts, ignoring the taunting voice whisper in her ear as much as she could to find that all the seats were empty and it was night out. The woman slung over her bag of belongings over her shoulder and paid the man for the bus ride.

"Thank you." Her voice was soft and cautious. See what he did to her?

The woman walked down the sidewalk, opening an umbrella above her head and walked to the train station that would take her to Kyoto, where she would get her airline ticket and get the hell out of the hellish lands she was once proud to call her home.

The woman paid for her ticket and sat down in the cushiony seat, her bag near her feet for warmth. She propped her elbow on the window pane on her left, cupping her chin with her hand, her eyes finally letting go of the tears that so longed to be set free. She sang softly,

"Rain, rain, go away,

Come back another day."

I know, a sad attempt at a Kaiba/Shizuka/Malik I know, I know. It sucks. What do expect from me, this is my first attempt at a Yu-Gi-Oh! story! Besides, it's a nice sidetrack from my other story: Should I Chase After You?  Tell me what you think, if I should delete and start over, or just forget about the darn thing. Oh! And who do you want to have Shizuka with? (Smirks deviously while sticking her tongue out) NOT TELLING! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! (Clears her throat)

To those who read and **REVIEW** I am deeply thankful. (How about I give you a Seto plushy in exchange for a review? Winks You know you want it!)

Now…PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PUH-LEASE be gentle with me. Puppy eyes with the companion of trembling lips for effect This is my FIRST Yu-Gi-Oh(!) story and I really hope to do better in this section…

See that button on the left corner? Winks and waves a Seto plushy Remember, you WANT the Seto plushy!

C-YEAH! – Miss Artemis


	2. Purpose

Bless the Broken Heart

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! He belongs to Kazuki Takahashi! Enjoy! (Besides, if I did own him, I would be filthy stinking RICH! (Sighs when knowing that can't happen.))

_Italics – _thinking  
"…" - talking

Chapter 1: Purpose

Shizuka sighed in melancholy as she gently rubbed the edge of a warm thick coffee mug. Her honey-dipped eyes had darkened in thought and in partially tiresome. _Life just isn't fair…_She thought in despair as she took a dainty sip from her cappuccino, a small dip of her pink tongue licked away the small traces of foam on her upper lip.

She was leaning back in a comfy plastic booth in the far corner of a small coffee shop where it had a small library inside for readers, kind of like a Barnes and Noble, but much smaller and the books were more of fantasy, fiction, science fiction, and non-fiction. If you were looking for study books, go straight forward to Barnes and Noble.

Dressed in a short pink mini skirt and a top that resembled the top of a Japanese sleeveless kimono for special occasions back at home, her silver name tag on her right breast plate, Shizuka was an employee on break. She didn't quite like the length of the skirt, modesty and all, but she needed the money and she didn't want to get fired just because she had a negative opinion on the outfits.

Shizuka sighed again, something she had been doing lately and raised her left arm, causing the loose cuffs to fall back to reveal a simple watch. She moaned under her breath and set her arm back down on the table with a 'thump!' closing her eyes away from the world. _I have to work again at 8:30 tonight…_Shizuka took the cup, a sudden emotion overwhelming her to make herself cry, and chugged down the hot chocolate/coffee. Yelping, Shizuka fanned her hand over her tongue and turning around when hearing a chuckle.

Turning around, Shizuka found one of her newest and yet dearest friends since her first on campus, Atsuko Yamina. Her small friend wore the same uniform as her, but only with an apron and her hat resembling a sailboat on her head. With the characteristics of a polite and yet wild angel, Atsuko was a gift of god sent to be her guardian angel. Her glittering purple-grape eyes and her light tawny hair only made Shizuka think further into believe in that assumption.

"Double duty tonight at **Magic Black Jack **again Shiz?"

Shizuka smiled at her and waved her hand, as if thinking that it was nothing she couldn't handle.

"Don't worry yourself." Atsuko smiled cheekily at her,

"I know, but YOU are." Shizuka narrowed her eyes at her close friend, who had taken upon herself to take a seat across from her. Shizuka knew that Atsuko was pushing her buttons and was doing it quite effectively might she add.

"But why ARE you having two jobs Shizuka?"

Shizuka pondered her question. Why did she have two jobs? The job here that she had was enough to pay for her apartment month-daily, so why did she? Her eyes mentally went downcast as the reason popped up into her head immediately, in the shape of a gorgeous man with steely blue eyes matching the BEWD, soft and alluring chocolate brown hair, pale flawless lily-white skin, and the intimidation of his height. She mentally shook her head to find Atsuko still looking at her, her wide violet eyes staring at her innocently. _Innocent my butt. _Shizuka thought sarcastically.

"I guess…I just want to prove to myself that's all."

"Oooh, you mean the kind where you think you don't have a purpose in life isn't it?"

Shizuka nodded half-heartily, thankful that her friend fell for her white lie.

"Yeah…just like those."

_I already know my whole purpose in life…_Shizuka's gaze hardened at the cup as if she was talking to her past, to him. _It's been two years and I _still _can't get him out of my head…damn it. _Her thumbs gently rubbed against the mug again like before. _I came here to New York to get rid of him, and what happens to me? I'm still stuck like a love-sick fool still pondering over a crush. _Shizuka couldn't help but feel more childish than she already thought she was. He always did have that effect on her when she compared her to him. _Damn him and his perfection. _She looked at Atsuko who also looked deep in thought.

"What are you thinking of Ko-chan?"

Atsuko looked at her and blushed lightly while carefully rubbing the back of her head somehow unable to mess up her tawny bun and her hat.

"Just thinking of your statement." Shizuka looked at her,

"About purpose?"

She nodded,

"I remembered what my grand-mama had told me before she passed away when I was 13 when I was pondering over the same thing you were. She had said 'Do not think of a reason for living, but living it to the fullest. Every one of us has a purpose, a soul-purpose to live happily. If we forget what that means and ponder of our selves, we lose what we most love in life.'"

Shizuka nodded sadly, unshed tears were beginning to settle in her eyes. It made sense in someway. What Atsuko had said was partially true; we all have a purpose made from god when they created them, to live. But was that all they-she was meant for? Just to live, to see, to hear, to taste, to feel, to be hurt? Her eyes saddened even more as she once thought of her purpose back during the times where she thought life was so simple, until she lost the people she cared most, her friends and only living relative. Her eyes if possible, saddened even more. _Onii-chan…_

Atsuko watched her friend, her gaze still a little stoic although her eyes gave away that she was curious and at the same time concern. _What aren't you telling me, Shizuka? I want to help you but you don't let anyone near you, physically and mentally. You don't know how much this hurts me…_

"YOU TWO STOP FIDDLING AROUND!"

Shizuka and Atsuko squeaked as they were startled out of their seats. They turned sharply around to find their boss. At first glance, you would have thought that the old woman before them couldn't even manage a glare, but when you know her to a certain extent, you know that she has the capability to set the fires of hell loose and run amok.

The 4'5" woman was skinny and scrawny in her granny clothes and apron wrapped around her, it looked as if she couldn't see through her coke-bottle glasses since her eyes resembled them looking like slits. They gulped. The woman may look tiny and frail, but she does give a good whack on the head. Take Atsuko for example, she had plenty of experience with her.

"Yes Mrs. Evans!" Bowing hurriedly, the girls ran behind the counter, Shizuka grabbing an apron from another female employee who held it out without thinking as she was walking out, it became a normal routine in the every-day life of the staff. They hadn't even noticed that Shizuka forgot her cup of coffee abandoned on the table. Mrs. Evans shook her head in a scolding way that a mother would do to her children for misbehaving,

"Those girls, even forgetting to clean up after themselves…" Muttering incoherent things under her breath, the woman took the cup with a finger and thumb, having a phobia of germs.

She turned around to the now frightened customer with a sugary smile that would have you cringe from the false sweetness.

"How may I help you?"

Shizuka tried juggling her books, her uniform and backpack as she tried scrambling along the immensely large groups of people of a likes: business, dorks, college students, gothics.

_God I hate rush hour…cranky Mrs. Evans just has to hold me back just over an almost done cappuccino…_Grumbling to herself, Shizuka managed to get into the subway, so close that her backpack was almost cut off her straps as she narrowly missed the automatic doors. Sighing, Shizuka leaned heavily against the partial glass doors, her chest ballooning up and down.

"Shizuka, how nice to see you again!"

Shizuka mentally groaned. _Not now! _Plastering a welcoming smile, Shizuka turned around to find exactly who she thought it was,

"Erin! How nice to see you! Has year-end college exams kept you busy as well?"

The boy grinned at her when he finally made it to her. Tall of 6'1", a nice built, a pair of kind light blue eyes, layered shoulder length chocolate brown hair, peachy skin, and a charming smile, Erin was what Atsuko liked to call "hot". Sure Shizuka thought that he was easy on the eyes, but to say the least, he was kind of slow in the brain department.

"You bet! So Shizuka, why haven't I heard back from you yet?"

Shizuka sweat dropped and laughed almost shakily,

"I'm so sorry Erin! I've just been busy with cramming every night and my two jobs. If you don't believe me, check my apartment, it looks like its been hit by a tornado."

Erin nodded in a knowing way,

"I understand, so where are you going now?"

"To work; you?"

Erin blushed lightly making Shizuka think of how childish he looked like that,

"My grandma's sick and my mother practically used force to get me to visit her or she'll come over here and show all my baby pictures to all my friends, or practically to anyone who would listen."

Shizuka giggled, but inside she rolled her eyes. _Diane would be the first to suck up to your mom for her favor. _As people could tell at first glance, Diane and Shizuka didn't get along, Diane rubbing against her sore spot of not having a boyfriend where Shizuka would only stab back with her being a hooker. If they were in front of a professor at their college, they would be forced to act all friendship-y and happy. Shizuka saddened slightly as she remembered Anzu. _She always looked after me, even if I found her annoying at times with her nagging. _

"I could imagine." Erin looked at Shizuka who was now shifting her arms to a more comfortable position. He eyed her books and asked eagerly in attempt to get her to look at him at a different light than she saw him, a friend.

"Here, I'll hold your books for you until your stop." Shizuka lifted an eyebrow in skepticism,

"But your stop is before mine isn't it?" Erin looked up and blushed furiously making Shizuka shake her head. _He really is dense. _He rubbed the back of his head as the subway went to a slow stop,

"I guess you're right, sorry Shizuka." Shizuka shrugged somehow,

"Don't worry about it Erin, it's not that much of a big deal." Erin shook his head,

"How about next time we meet and you're struggling with something, I'll hold it for you?" Shizuka pretended to blush; she had a lot of time to act thanks to Atsuko when they were room mates at the dorms.

"You know you don't really have to."

_Please don't._

"No, I insist!" Shizuka watched the doors as they began to close,

"Better hurry Erin before you miss your stop." Erin blushed and managed to get through. Shizuka blushed now with embarrassment as a woman looked at her with a knowing smile as Erin waved goodbye to her a little too much enthusiastically for public. He grinned causing Shizuka to expect that he thought she was blushing from being shy, not from embarrassment. _When will my life end? _

Shizuka was grateful to get off the subway and away from the glances she was being given and the statement: "Aw…young love, it's so adorable." _My life can't POSSIBLY get any worse. _She thought to herself as she started walking towards the large and expensive club before her with flashing green, red, electric blue and yellow neon lights, heading towards the backdoor since the front was for the celebrities since it was booked by a millionaire that was new to the city, the new CEO of some business company. _I hate these nights; I always have to work longer than my usual shifts. _She sighed to herself, causing a person she walked by to look at her in shock. _I sense another cram session tonight before my calculus exam tomorrow. _

"Shizuka?" It came out as a whisper, but to Shizuka it felt like as if the person had screamed right in her ear. Shizuka felt her breath hitch painfully up in her throat, her heart pounding so hard against her lungs that she felt as if the person behind her could hear it too. Licking her dry lips nervously, she closed her eyes briefly, her frame going rigid as if she was founded out of some dark secret.

Dreading each second that passed, Shizuka turned slowly while her mind chanted for her to just run for it while her heart seemed to dance with joy at the familiar voice. She looked up causing a gasp from her and the other woman in front of her. Her eyes widened,

"M-Mai? W-What are you d-doing here?"

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I love making cliffhangers; I just hate to read them, don't you? (Smiles deviously) Thanks to the two people who reviewed my prologue! **Aliccia **and **Distant Voice**! (Hands a Seto plushy to them with a happy smile) Thank you for reviewing and your comments!

**Aliccia: **Thanks! I wasn't too sure about the prologue in the beginning, but oh well! -

**Distant Voice: **Thanks about the prologue! Again about the pairing I'm going to choose…NOT TELLING. (Inserts evil laughter) But personally, I am VERY glad I found another author who sometimes prefers Marik/Serenity more than Seto/Serenity, very rare to find, does my heart good. -

Also thanks to those who put me on their favorites list and on author alert! (I feel as if I won an Oscar Award. -)

So, tell me what you think! (Starts staring at her MSN mailbox, waiting for messages to come. Anytime now…)

C-YEAH! – Miss Artemis


	3. Reconciled Friendship

Bless the Broken Heart

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! He belongs to Kazuki Takahashi! Enjoy! (Goes to cry her eyes out because she doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!)

_Thinking  
_"Talking"  
**Flashbacks**

**(Last time)  
****  
**She turned around slowly, her heart beating against her chest so hard that she thought the person behind her heard it too.

"M-Mai? W-What are you d-doing here?"  
**  
(Present time)**

Chapter 2: Reconciled Friendship

On her wits end, Shizuka nervously picked up one of the many martini glasses and filled it up three quarters up with champagne-like liquid and adding to it with the classy look like all of the employees were instructed to do, an olive. Capping the wine bottle again and setting it on the shelf with the other rare and expensive wine bottles of many glamorous colors, Shizuka whispered softly,

"How could this happen to me…?"

Mai watched her with a calm and yet puzzled face, as if trying to read her mind. She watched, complementing Shizuka as said-person delicately placed the glass in front of her, her drink.

"It's on the house…" She murmured softly, so softly that Mai strained to hear it. Mai picked up the glass with her thumb and middle finger and instead of taking a wisp of it, only set it until the liquid touched her lips. Licking her lips and looking up from the brim of her glass, she watched Shizuka expertly handle a drunk-stricken man and his equally drunk girlfriend.

"You know…" She started off in a kind of voice that was trying to struck up a conversation, "The job does do wonders for you, it's just, I never thought I'd find you at a place like this."

Shizuka didn't say anything as she kept pondering in her mind why her friend-wait, EX-friend hadn't ignored her or had at least yelled at her. _Why? Why is Mai here? Is she here to gloat in my face? Is she trying to make me feel guilty? _An uncomfortable and awkward silence came upon the two that would have drowned anyone if it weren't the two of them.

Mai stared sadly at her beverage, her beautiful and sad-filled face reflected in the glowing liquid and everything around her. _What happened to you Shizuka? Why had you run away? Why didn't you trust me enough to tell me what you were doing? I could have saved you from the heartache…_Mai picked up the glass again and tilted it in a fluid movement and around again until she created a small tornado,

"I'd never thought that…" She trailed off as Mai struggled with her words. Shizuka looked as if she wasn't paying any attention to her and fully focused at her customer, but if anyone looked in her eyes and at the way her body tensed, they could tell she was listening intently at Mai's words. "…You would be a bartender at a gambling club…"

Mai roughly slapped herself mentally. _Stupid…_

Shizuka let out a relieved sigh she never knew she was holding as she prepared a disgusting mix that was requested from a girl who looked as if she was having the time of her life. _If Mai had completed that sentence…_Shizuka's eyes moistened slowly and she kept her eyes down at the smooth wooden counter as she gave the drink to the girl, who had accidentally gave her 20 more dollars than needed for the drink. _…I don't think I could handle it…_Instead, she responded meekly as she stood aside as another waitress came back with empty martini glasses and into the backroom,

"Being a bartender isn't my only job here. We – kind of rotate on jobs, some would take the Black Jack table, some would take the poker table, some would take turns with bringing drinks around, and there's some that took the job as a bartender."

Mai nodded, giving that she understood as she took another small sip from her glass; it was one thing she learned when handling wine or alcohol – drink it slowly. She stared at the depths again; her eyes growing sadder by the second, unshed tears were slowly building in. She looked up to find Shizuka's back facing her, the said girl was filling many tall champagne glasses with dark red wine from Russia, very expensive by the way Shizuka was handling it.

Shizuka bit her lip; there was something inside her building up in her chest. She didn't know what it was, but it was becoming more unbearable as the minutes ticked by. Settling the ten champagne glasses on five trays as instructed five waitresses took them to the business men that were looking like they were having the time of their lives at the Jackpot machines. Shizuka grunted as the tension in her chest slowly started traveling up, so slowly so that she could feel the air-depriving pain that made her feel as if she was losing her breath. Almost giving in to the temptation of crying and telling Mai everything, she said instead,

"Anything else I can get you?" Mai looked at her back and shook her head, her long blond curls swaying with the movement,

"No thank you, Shizuka." _Unless you can give me the explanation of what and why you did what you did…_She gently rubbed the base of the wine glass with the side of her manicured thumb. She closed her eyes in tiredness,

"Yugi doesn't blame you, you know…" She whispered in defeat of having to be the one to give in to the temptation; expertly breaking the tension around the two for the last thirty minutes.

Sub-consciously, Shizuka's pale and slim hands gripped the wine bottle tighter until the point of shaking as she poured the liquid into the long champagne glass. Her eyes clouded. _'Yugi doesn't blame you, you know…' Y-Yugi doesn't hate me? B-But, but why not?_ Her eyes widened as she pulled the bottle away from the glass, just in time to stop at the rim of the wine glass. Cursing herself for her lack of concentration, she nervously gave the man his drink who instead of feeling disappointment of her actions of may having to deal with having a stained shirt, only grinned happily and grabbed the glass from her.

She turned to Mai who only looked at her glass, her eyes wide on her pale face,

"Why not? He should probably be the most betrayed out of…you know – the group. He and **him **have a rival-relationship." Mai took notice of how Shizuka had reframed from saying the name of the man that had taken everything from her. She shrugged and took another sip,

"From what I remember from Duelist Kingdom, he was probably the only one who saw it that Kaiba (She saw Shizuka flinch at the name) needed someone to lighten him up; I bet he thought you could do it, open his hard cold ice of a heart. He had told me that he _truly _believed you could have done it." Mai took another sip, larger than before, "At first I told him he was crazy. It wasn't until he gave me a good bonk on the head did he give his point across." Shizuka looked at her shocked,

"Yugi striked you?" Mai chuckled dryly,

"Not across the face, just on top of the head. For a guy who wouldn't hurt a fly, he can hit pretty hard." The playfulness left her dark plum eyes, "But I did finally understand what he was telling me…It's just…" Shizuka listened intently at her,

"Just…?"

Shizuka jumped back a little, startled as Mai slammed her glass harshly against the counter that a chip of glass broke off from the bottom. Mai looked at her with furious eyes, as if there was a bonfire behind her eyes making them glow, Shizuka was surprised to find tears leaking out of the corners of Mai's eyes,

"Why didn't you tell me?" It seemed as if no one took notice of them or the outburst from Mai, too drunk or engrossed in their own problems. Shizuka felt herself tremble when Mai refused to unlock their gazes, her furious eyes cut through her pitiful tawny-hazel mercilessly. Shizuka could feel the tears building up, the tears that she swore to never let go anymore. Mai kept going, ignoring the tears that were building over the brim of Shizuka's eyes,

"I could have helped you! I could have stopped you from making the most terrible mistake of your life! You didn't deserve to go through that! You could still be with your brother! He would still love you! Life isn't just a bed of roses, Shizuka!"

"I-I know that…" Shizuka whimpered softly, her tears soaking her black vest and white shirt, "I know that…" She repeated, not hearing a customer's order. She slammed a hand on the counter in front of Mai, causing the liquid in the glass to slip over the edge and settle back down, causing Mai to jump a little in her seat; startled,

"But you have to understand! I did it for a reason! A reason Mai…that you wouldn't understand…" Mai watched as Shizuka turned around sharply, her long red-auburn hair almost hitting her face as she left the bar-part of the club and through a door that said: EMPLOYEES ONLY!

Sniffling, Mai took the olive out of the drink and popped it in her mouth before she laid down ten dollars for her drink; ignoring Shizuka's saying 'It's on the house' and strolled out of the club to find it raining. She sighed,

"Damn it."

-.-.-.-

Numbly, Shizuka untied her dark blue bow tie and slipped it off her neck slowly, feeling the silky satin between her fingers as it slipped off and into her bag. She slowly undressed in the over-heated locker room for the females; she was the only one to wear the uniform of the men's since she declared she wouldn't ever wear something that skimpy in public, especially around drunken men; instead, her uniform, although had the same features as the men, was tailored to her figure, a little too snug for her taste, but better than looking as if she was trying to sell herself.

Her eyes looked dark and misty, her high cheeks gathering a light pink rosy hue from the heat as she slipped on her loose button up shirt and dark blue plaid mini-skirt that looked like the ones that she wore during high school where she used to go to in Domino. Putting on her brown shoes, even if she wore baggy socks, she put on her light jacket and her books and book bag and went out the back door.

"God damn it!" Shizuka cursed mildly to herself as she felt the hard rain drops hit against her head and face, she hurriedly covered her books and slammed the door shut behind her and ran to the nearest shelter nearby. Grunting, she struggled against the harsh wind as it pelted against her, many people were scrambling around for shelter like she was. Where ever she found a place, it would be too crowded.

"Today just isn't my day…" She muttered darkly.

Gasping, Shizuka felt the cold harsh wind wrap around her, causing her skirt to hike up to more than above mid-thigh. Blushing crimson, she hurriedly plucked it back down to groan. Her books were scattered around her open up wide, her papers everywhere. Ignoring the coming tears, she bent down on her knees to pick them up. She cursed when she found a page being swept away by the wind that was ripped out of her Chemistry book. Without thinking, she hauled everything into her bag and ran after the page that now looked easy enough to tear like a damp tissue paper.

"Come back here!" She cried desperately to only cry out in pain as she tripped on a ridge in the pavement. She looked down; her eyes filled with tears at her scathed knees and winced at the stinging pain the lingered. Breaking down, Shizuka let her tears go, her fingers pressing hard against the rough pavement as her body shook from the sobs.

_God I hate my life…_

-.-.-.-

Mai growled in frustration as people continued to bump into her in a hurry to find shelter. Didn't they see that she didn't have an umbrella or a newspaper to cover her? She was a damsel in distress and SHE wasn't complaining about being soaked to the bone! _Damn people don't have any manners here, not like in Domino City; even SOME people had the decency to bow at them apologetically, even if they didn't really mean it. _Mai's shoulders slumped downward as she trudged on, her high-heeled boots clicked against the pavement loudly, but unheard by the wind.

Her thoughts went back at the club.

"**But you have to understand! I did it for a reason! A reason Mai…that you wouldn't understand…"**

Her words echoed through Mai's mind. _A reason, Shizuka…that I FULLY understand…_

Her eyes strayed down to the pavement as she walked on. _You wished, Shizuka, to change Seto Kaiba, but you have to accept the fact that not everyone has a heart…I'm just sorry you had to find out the hard way. I know what it's like to be in love and be toyed with from the beginning…_

A long strand of blonde hair entered her vision when she stopped suddenly, causing the people behind her to mutter threats under their breath at her as they swarmed around her and on their way, but she didn't listen or acknowledge what they said. Her hair, completely soaked by the rain, was now out of its curls and flowed freely down her back to mid thigh. Her little piece of hair that always hung a little bit on her forehead, trailed limply down the right side of her face to end at her cheekbone. She shivered involuntarily at the cold. She looked up again at the cloudy sky with the skyscrapers reaching up towards the clouds, her eyes misted over,

"Katsuya…"

He had never known that she had fallen in love with him, ever since Duelist Kingdom. The way he had done everything he could to get that money for Shizuka, she had found herself attracted to his determination, the same determination that she always had for herself. And Battle City only made that small flame of attraction turn into a bomb fire. His loyalty and strength had amazed her to no end; how could somebody that goofy and strange be that loyal? A small weak smirk quivered on the corners of her lips,

"Loyal as a dog…"

When she had heard how much he had sacrificed and had tried to bring her back from the Shadow Realm, made her feel so warm and protected and self-secured. No body had ever made her feel that – not even her parents. When she had left the group, she had the intentions to come back, but where ever she had gone, the news of Battle City would always come back. 'Did you hear about Battle City?' 'Yugi Mouto's awesome!' 'Look at Katsuya Jounouchi! I can't wait to duel him!' She could never escape from it. She had gone to win for herself, to prove the world she was a great duelist…but when she had faced that stupid psychotic Malik Ishtar, everything went down the drain. She was perceived as a fool. Then, just when she was going to end everything…he came. A certain warmth entered Mai's eyes as she remembered the incident.

"Varon…"

_He was there to help me where no one else would. He gave me the will to come back and try to make something of myself…even if it wasn't in the best of ways. _Mai trailed off in thought. _It was raining the first time we met…I wonder…_Mai cocked her head to the right a little, bystanders looking at her, she would have looked as if trying to look at a different view of the sky, rather than in thought. _…Would he come right now like before? Give me encouragement? _She shook her head and wiped the tears away,

"I'm such an idiot…He doesn't even know I'm here. I don't even know if he's still alive…" Looking up, Mai gasped as a paper slapped itself harshly against her face and over her eyes,

"Wha-?" Walking forward while trying to get the paper off of her, Mai let out a cry as she toppled onto her bottom.

"Ouch!" Tugging the paper off and giving it a good glare, Mai looked down to raise an eyebrow,

"A book?" She picked the book up while sitting on her knees. Mai flipped through the damp pages delicately, her eyes widening while darting from line to line and page to page.

"This is college Mathematics…" She murmured. Shutting the book with a 'snap!' Mai got on her feet with the book in arms and walked around the corner, her long dark blonde hair hanging down around her face like a curtain. Her eyes softened immediately as she found Shizuka crying on her hands and knees, her back pack a good couple feet in front of her, just a couple of inches from Mai's shoes.

"Oh, Shizuka…" Bending down and picking her heavy back pack up by the handle part, Mai ran to her and dropped to her knees, placing Shizuka's bag beside her. Hearing the whisper, Shizuka looked up; her face filled with pain – emotional and physical, her eyes narrowed as tears continued to dominate.

Without saying anything, Mai dropped the book to the ground and took Shizuka into her arms, feeling her hot tears against her corset. Shizuka wrapped her arms around her as well, finally giving in to the urge.

"I just wanted to change him, Mai!" Shizuka continued to sob harshly against her, her shoulders shaking from the force of her sobs. Mai nodded and ran a hand through Shizuka's hair, she herself crying,

"I know Shizuka…I know."

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TADA! I hope this wasn't rushed so badly as I think it is, well, tell me what you think! (**Cough **comments **cough**) Thanks for the reviews!

**Reviewers: **

**Aliccia: **You're welcome! (grins) I love making people happy! Here's your update and thanks for reviewing!

**ChaosMagicianGirl: **(lol) Thank you for your compliments! (blushes) I really do hope that I do become a better author at this, my passion in writing usually ends up thinking of the Yu-Gi-Oh! characters in it, just can't be helped. (Grins again) Seto is undeniable isn't he? (Sighs dreamily) Thanks for the review, I enjoyed reading it! (Goes marching off to her Seto shrine)

**vamprincessmiyu: **Thanks! I usually read angst stories if I have nothing to do or when I'm just bored. But I LOVE writing them, it just…refreshes me. (lol) Thanks for the review!

Thanks for the reviews guys! Appreciate it!

So now Mai and Shizuka are friends again! Yippee! Now, review and you'll get a Marik plushy! (Looks sadly at the mounds of Marik plushies) If only I want to give them up…

Bye! And remember…**REVIEW**!

Miss Artemis


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